Rejected
by Music Fantasi
Summary: One normal day, why is that too much to ask for? Oh, right, Sora's here, that's why. And apparently, something is terribly wrong with him.


It all started about a week ago. Sora kept falling asleep randomly and would just as randomly jump awake like something had hurt him. He mumbled in his sleep too. It sounded like he was calling, _begging_, for help. Whenever me or Kairi asked him about it he just said that he hadn't been sleeping well. We were both worried something was wrong with him. I mean, come on, a lot could be wrong after everything we, especially Sora, have gone through in the past few years.

Today we were hoping for no weirdness. We wanted one day, just one day, to hang out and be like a normal group of teenagers. Like the old days. It's the Saturday after exams and we're so freaking glad it's the weekend! Tests should be illegal because teachers purposely set you up to fail with all their paragraph questions and trick questions and rhetorical questions. That's what Sora says, anyway. They do make me want to flip my desk over in frustration sometimes.

Anyway, back to today's plan of being normal. I guess that plan is probably doomed to fail because, hey, we are far from normal. I mean, I can summon a magical weapon in the shape of a badass key at will, whenever I want to. How much non-normal can you get? Besides the Sora non-normal, that is, which is about twice as weird.

"So, guys, what's our plan for today?" Kairi chirped. And I mean chirped; she sounds like a happy little bird with a squeaky voice. She has her recent battle with the common cold for that one I suppose. It still sounds annoying in my opinion, though I only tease her a little on the matter.

"I have no idea. Any ideas, Sora?" I asked as I turned to look for him. I can feel dread clawing up my spine. Why am I feeling like my normal day plan has _already _failed?

Sora was staring toward us, totally zoned out, emotions flickering on and off his face faster that I could read them all. They seemed to be flashing between fear, confusion, agony, more confusion, desperation, and then worry. And even odder was I swear his eyes are flashing between the normal blue and then a lighter blue. It was slight, but his eyes were definitely changing their shade of blue. This can't be good.

I guess this is why my plan feels like it's already died.

Suddenly panic flashed across his face before all the fear, the agony, and most of all the desperation took control and stayed on his face, as did the lighter eye color and he looked at us like we were the only thing that could save him from death. "Please help me." That wasn't Sora's voice. That was-

"Roxas?" Kairi asked slowly.

"Please. You have to help me. Sora-he's going to-" Roxas/Sora suddenly collapsed, completely out cold.

Yep, my plan is dead.

"Sora!" Kairi rushed over to him and shook him but he didn't come to. He did give a groan of protest though, letting us know he was alright.

"Well I do believe this calls for a trip to Ansem's lab." Kairi just looked at me and nodded before running off to fetch the gummy ship we, um, _'borrowed'_.

Sora was carefully sat in one of the chairs and as Kairi strapped him in so he didn't become a pinball between the seats as we go through the space between worlds, I started up the ship. Next stop, the always lovely, Radiant Gardens.

I'd so rather be carrying out my normal plan damnit. Was one day really too much to ask for? Why did I even bother asking? Of course it was; it's us.

We landed in Radiant Gardens in just a short time, rushed to the lab, and set to work. If only we actually knew what we were supposed to be doing. There was more computers and devices in here than on the entire island of Destiny Island and the rest of Radiant Garden, _combined_.

"Tron?" Kairi asked.

"Might as well I suppose." I shrugged. He knows everything Ansem knew. I continued rummaging while Kairi went to the super computer that was Tron's home. I found absolutely nothing useful in the twenty minutes I was searching and I didn't even make it out of one room because of all the papers and notes and schematics and things I found. I don't even know what I actually found, really…

Kairi came into the room and glanced at the disaster I made. "Tron said that he could transport you into Sora's heart if you both were in that beamy, transporter thing beside the computer."

"I thought that just took you into the system."

"He said he would manipulate it so that we could do what we needed."

"And how am I to get out once I'm in?"

"He said that you would have to call out with your own heart."

"Well that's real helpful." I said sarcastically. The heart communication stuff was Sora's thing, not mine.

"It's the best we got, Riku. So come on already."

When I landed in Sora's heart, it wasn't what I expected. It was like a giant, perfectly round, stain glass window, but it was in two sections. In the middle was Sora and Roxas sitting back to back with their positions mirroring each other. They sat with one leg propped up on an invisible surface, while the other dangled down and their arms hung at their sides. In Sora's hand was the Kingdom Key and in Roxas's was Oathkeeper. The two key's blades crossed each other as they hung backwards from their wielder's hand.

On Sora's side you could see the faces of Donald, Goofy, Kairi, and me. On Roxas's side there was Axel and two others I didn't recognize. One was a woman with pale blue hair and matching eyes and the other was a man with spiky, brown hair, and golden eyes that I vaguely feel like I remember from a long time ago. He does look familiar. I'm not really sure though.

Maybe I was imagining things, but it seemed like Roxas' side was cracked. But when I tried to focus on it, I noticed something else; there, lying on his side on the Glass Roxas, lay the very Nobody I'd come to see. As I walked closer, I realized something was wrong, very wrong. Roxas was curled in on himself as if in an attempt to protect himself from something. There were gashes in his cloths like a whip had hit him repeatedly all over. He was trembling and his eyes were closed tightly in pain. Breathing seemed to be a difficult task for him judging by the way his breaths came in quick, shaky gasps.

" Roxas." I said it quietly as I placed my hand gently on his left forearm. He flinched, making me frown. Where my hand touched him it felt wet and warm. I pulled it back and it was covered with blood. I don't know how he's bleeding within Sora's heart or why, but he was. He was bleeding badly. I couldn't see it before because of the blackness of Glass Roxas's cloak but there's a large puddle of blood surrounding the Ex-organization member.

He turned his head slowly and opened his deep blue eyes. " R-riku?" He gasped out. He sounded like he was having trouble breathing properly and saying that alone seemed to drain him.

" Yes, me. What's happened here?"

" Sora-" he was interrupted by a spasm of coughs raking through his small frame violently. Blood sprayed from his mouth as it was painfully force out of his lungs. Once the coughing fit ended and he spat out the blood remaining in his mouth and took several quick breaths, he continued. " His heart has r...rej-jected me."

I frowned. " What do you mean rej-" Light suddenly flared up from Sora's side of the platform, twisting and dancing around like a huge, blindingly bright flame and lashed out at Roxas and myself. Roxas gave a startled cry as he caught sight of it and suddenly I was pushed roughly away, forcing me to tumble backwards. When I regained my balance, I couldn't believe what I saw.

The light from Sora's side was _attacking _Roxas. It was lashing and whipping at him viciously, causing the helpless Nobody to curl in on himself for what little protection was available. He didn't scream out, but grunted and whimpered from the hits as bits of the fabric that was left of his cloths was mercifully slashed off in fluttering bits of black surrounded by raining specks of dark red blood falling quickly and splattering across the stained glass surface. The shock to my brain ended quickly and I used my Dark Shield to cut the attack short. The light dispersed quickly and I ran over to Roxas. I wasn't prepared for what I saw.

There were gashes everywhere; so many that his jacket and shirt were practically gone and blood poured out of him like small streams. They were on his arms, legs, back, shoulders, and cheeks and blood dripped from the corners of his mouth. He coughed weakly, expelling even more of the thick, red liquid. But that I had been prepared for. What I hadn't was when he looked up at me with agony written in his deep, ocean blue eyes as pink tinged tears rolled down his lacerated cheeks. " P-please h-help me." He was _begging _me. I couldn't believe my ears. " K-kill me or s-some...thing... Please..." His eyes closed tight in pain but more bloody tears managed to leak out.

"I'm going to help you. I swear I'll make this end as soon as possible. I'll save you, I promise." His lips twitched into a very small, grateful smile. " Is there anyway for the attacks to be slowed?"

"W-when he's...awake... and his mind….is preoccupied... then t-t-they almost st-stop."

"I'll right. We'll wake him up and not let him sleep until you're out." He didn't respond, just closed his eyes as his body went limp. I had to hurry or he would die here inside Sora's heart. I don't understand why though! Why would Sora's heart attack Roxas like this? Why would it, why would _Sora_, reject Roxas? I had so many questions and no answers and the one that held the answers was lying unconscious and dying in front of me. Now the most important question at this moment; How the _Hell _am I supposed to help him?

"_Don't you still have it?"_

I jumped and looked around frantically for the owner of the voice. It sounded kind of like Roxas but it was softer, and a slightly higher pitch. " Have what?" I asked suspiciously as I eyed the blackness around me, still watching out for a flare of light.

"_His body. Is it still in Twilight Town? Still alive?" _A translucent figure of Roxas in strange armor appeared beside me. Wait, no he didn't look quite like the Nobody. His expression was softer, kinder, and his hair looked like a lighter blonde and his eyes were a darker blue, just several shades lighter than black. But his appearance wasn't important right now, what he was saying was. He was right! DiZ had stuffed Roxas's body into one of the sleeping pods and I'm pretty sure it's still in there. We could put Roxas back in it!

"Who are you? How do you know that?" I had to wait until the next attack to leave so I could protect Roxas. If he's hit again, he will definitely die.

"_My name is Ventus, that's all you need to know. Roxas will be able to explain, but you must hurry before Sora kills him. I will continue to do my best to protect him."_

"But why is Sora trying to-"The light flared again, and this time I was ready. I used my Dark Shield and canceled out the attack and quickly removed myself from Sora's heart with only a second glance at Ventus. I couldn't help but wonder why he was within Sora too, and how he knew what he did.

I was slammed back into my body violently, but I didn't have time to worry about the shock and weirdness of it. How was I going to get to Twilight Town and back here before Roxas was attacked again? All I know is that I have to make Sora wake up and stay awake and get Roxas back into his body.

Yeah, good luck with that Riku. It was getting to be pretty difficult to keep Sora awake today, he falls asleep almost every five minutes.

The first thing I saw when I forced my eyes open was Kairi. She hovered over both Sora, who was stirring, and me. " Riku, you're awake!" I looked past her and at Sora to see him opening his eyes slowly. He sat up and rubbed his head groggily and looked at us, meeting my eyes.

"What happened?" he asked immediately, his was slurring slightly from the sleep still clinging to him.

I got up and walked over to him. " You passed out. Don't worry about it. You need to stay here and stay awake while I go and grab something." He looked confused but he obeyed. To Kairi I whispered, " Don't tell him about Roxas. Preoccupy him with something and keep him awake. Whatever you do, do not let him fall asleep or Roxas will die."

" _Die_? What's going on?" She asked in alarm

" He's _dying_, Kairi. Sora's heart rejected him."

" What are you talking about? Sora would never-"

" We've learned to never except the darkness, Kairi. And what have we learned about Nobodies? That they _are_ darkness. Sora's heart rejects Roxas because somewhere deep within Sora, he fears the darkness. That fear is killing Roxas without Sora even being aware. He probably isn't even aware of his fear!"

" But-"

" Look, we don't have time to be discussing this. I have to get to Twilight Town and back here before Sora falls asleep or Roxas actually will die. Keep Sora conscious, not asleep, until I get back and we put Roxas back in his body." She only nodded silently as I rushed to the gummy ship.

I returned remarkably fast with the still alive body of Roxas. It's a good thing there's no speeding laws in between the worlds or I might've been in some trouble. Well if I got caught, that is. Why am I even wasting energy thinking about this? Stupid brain.

" Hurry up Riku! He's almost asleep and I can't keep him up!" Kairi shouted at me as soon as I walked into the room carrying Roxas's body. It felt oddly cold for a still breathing body, but I guess that's to be expected since he doesn't have a heart. I swear I remember him being warm before though, like when I had to carry him back to DiZ after defeating him in the World That Never Was.

" I'm hurrying, calm down." I say even as I'm starting to freak out.

" How are we going to get Roxas out of Sora? He isn't going to have to lose his heart again is he?" I paused after setting Roxas's body on the metal table beside Sora. That was a lovely question! " You don't know, do you?"

" Not a clue."

" I'm asking Tron." She said as she walked into another room.

I started poking Sora with a metal rod I found on the ground to keep him awake. Every time he told me to stop I just said no, he had to stay awake. Of course that made him get all frustrated because we wouldn't tell him why he had to stay awake. I just continued to poke him every time his head started to fall and start talking to him as my thoughts wondered. Maybe if Tron doesn't know I can find Ventus again and ask if he knows. It'll give us extra time with me in there protecting Roxas-and why do I care so much if the Nobody dies? I worked so hard to rejoin him and Sora so my friend could be complete, yet here I am tearing them apart again. But Sora never formed with Roxas anyway apparently, making all my work pointless. Maybe its because it's my fault this is happening to Roxas?

Yeah, must be that.

Kairi came back into the room then, claiming my attention. " He know anything?"

" He said the only thing he could find in Ansem's data base about putting a heart inside a body is through the Keyblade, like Sora did before, or by Sora actually reaching into his heart mentally and pulling Roxas through and back into his body."

" And how the Hell is Sora going to figure out how to do that?"

" I don't know! It's Sora, he'll probably just _know_."

I opened my mouth to argue, but really, she had a point. Sora just knew things, it was really weird and completely unfair sometimes.

" What are you two talking about?" and speaking of Sora, sounds like he's still awake enough to understand something is going on.

" What is Roxas doing here? And what's go-"

" You've rejected Roxas from your heart and you're killing him. So now we have his body to put him in so that you don't." I answered simply.

" I wouldn't do that!"

" But you are subconsciously."

" What are you talking about?"

I opened my mouth to say more, but Kairi jumped in. " Guys, we really don't have the time for this now. Sora, you put Roxas back in his body. Quickly."

" How am I supposed to do that exactly?"

"I don't know! You're supposed to." He opened his mouth to comment, but she snapped at him again. "Just shut up and try!"

He huffed quietly before turning serious and thinking it over. I could practically see the rusty gears trying to turn. He relaxed back on the metal table on his side, turned toward Roxas's body. As he closed his eyes, he breathed in deeply, seeming to focus. Kairi watched Sora, but I watched Roxas, trying to see if there was any change in him. After several tense minutes, Sora's hand tightened around the edge of the table and Roxas's fingers twitched slightly. Sora's breath started to become slightly labored for some reason. I want to know what's going on so badly! They're fighting and Kairi and I are forced to just sit on the sidelines. Again!

Suddenly the air around us exploded into the most anguished scream I've ever heard; a scream that would haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life with its agony.

Sora succeeded. Roxas was back in his body. But at a price; every wound he had in Sora's heart came with him.

Every single gash violently ripped open all over his body all at once. His back arched off the table as he screamed out his agony, not being able to keep it in this time. The scream finally ended in a sob as pink tinged tears streamed down the Nobody's pale cheeks. None of us could even move after hearing it. It was heartbreaking, even for me.

"I d-did _that_?" Sora whispered.

"Y-you...didn't... mean to..." a small, fragile voice whispered softly with the heavy weight of tears. His voice was shaky and he sputtered up blood as the words were forced painfully out of his mouth.

"Roxas..." Tears began falling down Sora's cheeks now too. Kairi was already crying.

I looked back to Roxas, and got the jolt of a lifetime through me. The light was fading from the Nobody's eyes. Rapidly fading. "Sora! Kairi! We have to cure him quickly; He's fading!" They jumped into action and all three of us began casting Curaga as quickly as we could. Hopefully it'll be quick enough.

It wasn't.

He reached up to me with a shaking, bloodied hand. "T...thank you... Riku." And it fell. With a dead thud it smacked limply against the hard, cold metal table as his head lolled to the side and his dull eyes closed. A final, shaky breath hissed out of his lungs and no more air was sucked in to replace it. He was gone.

I failed.

Once again, I fail when I'm needed most.

"No!" pain flared in my knees as I landed on them on the cold, concrete floors. My fingers gripped the edge of the table Roxas laid on, the cool metal slick with his blood, as I hung my head. "I failed you, Roxas. I'm so sorry." I whispered. I stole his life from him twice already and now that I try to return it, I fail. I fail so horribly. And now he's dead.

I faintly heard the sound of Kairi and Sora crying heavily and finishing their cures. Despite the fact that Roxas was gone, they cast it anyway. If only it could bring him back. If it could give me one last chance at fulfilling my promise to him, my debt.

I will never again ask for anything or complain about anything ever again, if this one wish could be granted.

Bring back Roxas.

Please, just let him live. He deserves it more than anyone.

He's earned it.

Just one more chance.

That's all I ask.

Please...

I can feel tears starting to fall down my cheeks now too, making me grip the table tighter. This is my fault...

Why do I suddenly feel a gentle breeze? We're inside. _Underground_. So why is there wind? It's getting stronger, fiercer. I finally look up as it causes my long hair to whip around violently and my friends gasp loudly. What's going on? This wind, it carries sorrow on it. But also hope. It's so warm. Why is the wind warm? Why is it here? _How _is wind here? "Wind?... Ventus!" He's here, standing above Roxas with his hand on a pale, bloody cheek.

"_Don't worry; I won't let him die. Not now, it's not our time yet." _Why did he say our? Wait no time to think about that, the wind is calming. It seems to be centered around the two blondes and drawing around them._ "Time to wake up, Roxas." _Ventus closed his eyes and faded away into small, bright lights, drifting down into Roxas, taking the wind with them as they merged into the Nobody.

The air stopped its rapid movement suddenly, making things crash to the ground loudly. But I barely noticed any of that. My attention was on the person in front of me. The pale, cold Nobody that took a sharp, shuttering intake of breath. I stood up slowly and looked at his still closed eyes, willing him to open them.

It's probably a good thing Sora and Kairi finished their cures on him...

Roxas groaned and twitched his eyebrows. Then suddenly I was looking into bright blue eyes so full of light and life I could've cried. He opened his mouth to speak, but coughed instead, expelling bright red blood. Already he's lost so much of the crimson liquid. It covers his skin, clothes, the table, has dripped onto the floor, matted his hair... And now was rushing forcefully out of his lungs.

Sora gently grabbed him by the arm and propped him up so he was facing the floor as he choked up the last of the blood. He laid there propped up on his elbows while he caught his breath, eyes looking around in confusion before landing on me.

"Glad you're back." I said simply, confusing him more by the look he just gave me. Then it seemed to hit him. He jumped to his feet quickly and immediately fell to his hands and knees. That fact didn't even seem to be noticed by him as he looked himself over and patted his chest and face. Probably doesn't believe he's actually in his body again.

"What happened?" He voice was raspy.

"You _died _that's what!" Sora shouted, hugging his shoulders, causing the Nobody to tense.

"I what?" he snapped.

I plopped down on my knees beside them. "Died. As in were no longer living." I said like a total smart-ass. He glared at me. Good job Riku, you did all that to try to patch things up with him and you immediately make yourself sound like a dick. Idiot! I looked away from him.

"Do you know who that guy was that looked like Roxas?" Sora asked me, finally letting go of the blonde. Roxas's form sagged some from the loose of support. His body must be exhausted and weak from being unused for so long.

Roxas stilled. "Guy that looked like me?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah. He was standing over you after you were gone and there was a bunch of wind." Kairi answered, joining our crouching circle around Roxas.

"Did he disappear?" he seemed like he was dreading the answer.

"Yeah, he did." I told him softly.

He closed his eyes. " I see..."

He swayed some and I put my hand on his shoulder. " Roxas are you-" he collapsed against me, completely out cold. "-Alright...?" I sighed and picked him up gently. He was warm; warmer than I would've thought a Nobody could be. " I guess our questions will have to wait until he wakes up." I carefully set him down on the table Sora had been sleeping on since his was smeared with blood. He looked so peaceful.

" I bet he's exhausted." Kairi spoke softly, moving some of his blonde locks out of his face.

" I think we should start cleaning up..." Sora said as he looked at the disaster around us, but I noticed that he purposely seemed to avoid looking at the blood covering the floor beside us.

" Probably should." I agreed. Papers were strewn everywhere, a varity of things littered the floor, cabinets were opened with their contents on the ground, some of their doors were even broken, and several glass containers were busted. With a glance back at the peacefully sleeping blonde, we got to work.

Kairi and Sora left to make a quick trip back to Destiny Islands once everything was cleaned up to check up on every one and make up some excuse for where they were. I, of course, stayed behind to watch the sleeping Nobody, who was taking over my thoughts. I was constantly thinking about what had happened, and though I had a guess as to why it happened, I still had so many other questions! Roxas needs to wake the Hell up! I'm seriously considering waking him up, but every time I make a move to I think of that scream and his face as he begged me to kill him, to stop his pain... and I leave him alone to sleep peacefully.

I wonder how Ventus ties into everything. Him and Roxas are obviously connected in some way, especially now. But before, how did they know of each other. And how did Ventus come to be in Sora's heart anyway? And why did Ventus and Roxas look so much alike? Ahhh! Too many questions; not enough answers!

Yeah, wake the Hell up Roxas; I glared at him as he continued napping.

It quickly died though. I can't believe I went through all that to save a Nobody. After all, he served his purpose, right? And it isn't like he has a heart or feelings or the _right_ to exist anyway. Yet, knowing all that, I still saved him. Hell, I even gave up complaining and asking for things I know I could never have just to save the life he shouldn't have. I must be going soft. I blame Sora.

I sighed. It really isn't good for me to be left alone for long periods of time, because then I start thinking about things that I probably shouldn't spend much time thinking about. Like all those years spent away from home, traveling the worlds. Shouldn't think about that journey too much, because that could tap into some darkness somehow, I was told. Happens anyway, like I said, my brain is stupid. I'm also thinking too much about Roxas now. Not just the questions, because that would be normal. I've been comparing him and Sora in my mind for the past half an hour. From personality to appearance, every detail I can think of. From the major differences like Sora having a heart and Roxas not, to the smaller ones like Sora has a little freckle on his left ear lobe we always joke about because it looks like an earring and Roxas doesn't have that.

See? Too much time alone to think with my stupid brain. Need distraction!

Hmm, his breathing has gotten very shallow, but very quick here suddenly. I wonder if anything's wrong... I really hope not, the Nobody's been through enough I'd think. I move a bit closer to him and notice he isn't quite as pale as before, though still quite pale, course he normally is. Except for his cheeks; they're flushed pink and his forehead glistened with sweat. And that's when I first notice it. Looking at his forehead, by his temple, where on any normal person the pulse would be, and damnit that really did look like a racing pulse. But Roxas is a Nobody and Nobodies don't have hearts. So neither does Roxas, right?

Hesitantly, I placed my index finger to the base of his neck where you're supposed to take a pulse and underneath my finger tips I felt the quick beat of a heart. A heart beating too fast, but a heart none the less.

What the Hell is happening here?!

He has a heart now?! So did Nobodies actually have hearts or is Roxas just special? Ahh! This just adds to that already long list of quest-and I'm completely overlooking the fact that Roxas' face warm, meaning he has a fever.

Ok, Riku, you can do this. Just one thing at a time. Now go get some cool water. Then a washcloth. And just dip the washcloth into the cool water and place it carefully on his forehead. I'd give him medicine, but I don't know what would work-though he's apparently human now so wouldn't anything work-thought he could now be half and half-or special-or superhuman-or-Damnit brain! Just shut the Hell up!

I carefully place the washcloth on Roxas' forehead, trying to not to wake him even though I know I will because in all the movies where stuff like this happens the person is always more cautious than necessary and the person their caring for still ends up waking up. I normally end up skipping those parts in movies because mushy heart-to-hearts always happen when the person wakes. Not my type of thing.

And sure enough his eyes slowly slid open to blurrily look at me. He looks so confused right now I can't help smiling. "Sorry, was trying not to wake you up. Didn't think it would work, guess I was right." I laughed awkwardly. He remained silent and just stared at me until I couldn't take it anymore, "So how are you feeling?"

After a moment he decided to answer, "Alright."

"You had a fever…"

"I feel fine."

"Well keep the washcloth on your forehead still. Sora would kill me if you got sick." He didn't respond, but at least he didn't stare at me this time. This time he decided to look around the room. I decided to start getting some answers for all my questions. "Roxas…What happened in there?" I said it cautiously for some reason, like deep down I knew to be careful.

Glad I did.

His body immediately tensed up. "I was rejected, as I told you." He said coldly. He definitely didn't want to talk about this right now, but oh well. If I didn't get some answers soon it was literally going to drive me to insanity and I don't think me and insanity would mix well.

"Why? Do you know?"

"A better question would be 'Does Sora believe I'm evil? Or to actually be Darkness?' That is the question. Though it already has an answer, considering what happened…"

"So his heart rejected you because somewhere deep down Sora actually does believe you are darkness and we've been told so many times to always reject and take down the darkness. It makes sense. I just never thought Sora had it in him to think that badly of someone like you." I wanted to slap myself as soon as the words left my mouth. _'Someone like you'_? He was going to take that in a horrible way! And even if he doesn't he won't understand and I'm not going to explain well so he's just going to be confused.

"What do you mean _someone like me_?" he glared. Yep, I knew he was going to take that in a horrible way. Great now I have to somewhat explain at least…

"Just that I didn't think Sora had it in him to dislike someone who hasn't done things just straight wrong. I mean you're not the picture of innocence or anything, but you haven't done anything horrible, right? So for Sora to think of you as Darkness and as Evil, it's wrong. You're not evil and just because you come from darkness, doesn't mean you are darkness." That sounded pretty good.

Now I just wish he would say something back! All he does is stare off into space!

"Thank you…Riku." He finally said.

"For what?"

He gave a brief, airy laugh and looked at me like I was stupid for not already knowing. But really why should he be thanking me? After all I've done to him, this was the least I could do. "For saving me and not giving up on me when everyone else had. If it weren't for you, and you wanting and wishing so badly for me to live, Ventus wouldn't have been able to transcend outside of Sora's heart. But you called him here, to me, when I needed him. Thank you." He smiled at me; a real smile, with perfect white teeth and all.

"No problem, it's the least I could do, after all the trouble I've caused you…" I shifted my gaze to my hands.

"I'd say we're even now. You took my life from me, but now you've given it back. So why not just start over?"

I looked back up at him to see him still smiling warmly at me. It really softens up his face and made him look a bit more like Sora when he smiled like that. It made me smile too. "Alright, sounds good." We sat in silence for a few minutes before my questions came back to me. "Hey, speaking of Ventus, who is he?"

I saw the sadness in his eyes before the eyelids covered his misty blue eyes. Whoever Ventus was, he was very dear to Roxas. "He was…a very good friend of mine while I was within Sora's heart. And even while me and Sora were separated, he had been with me, yet I'd never known…"

"Was he supposed to be with Sora?"

"Yes he was. Ventus….a very long time ago his heart was broken in two; all the darkness inside him was taken and give form and Sora found him somehow and gave him part of his heart. When Ventus' duty to the keyblades was done, he returned to Sora, his heart then whole after defeating his evil. Sora had two hearts but never realized that Ventus lay dormant within him." Roxas explained solemnly.

"Wow. Everything is centered around Sora isn't it?" I joked a little to lighten the tense atmosphere.

Roxas sighed, "Seems so. Nothing good comes from being stuck with him, that's for sure."

"Can I ask one more question for now?" If I didn't ask this it was going to kill me to not know. I could feel the insanity right there at the edge of my mind behind this freaking question for God's sake. "Roxas, how do you have a heart?" I said it slowly and didn't dare look at him until all the words left my mouth. Only then did I dare look at him. His face was expressionless.

"Haven't pieced that together yet Riku? You're not as smart as you claim." I let it slide for now with only a mild glare. "Ansem did get one thing right; Nobodies don't have hearts because the heartless eat them and then there is nothing left for the Nobody. But with Sora, they only got his heart. That left Ventus' heart for me."

"Oh. I guess that's why you two look so alike." Him calling me slow was deserved because that really was obvious. I feel so stupid now!

Roxas stared at the ceiling sadly. "I always knew there was something wrong with me. Everyone always said how I didn't have a heart and that I couldn't feel anything because of that, but I have always felt. I've felt happiness and sadness and loneliness and guilt. I can feel the heart beating in my chest. I never told anyone that." He finally looked back at me. His eyes held only one emotion, but it was one I didn't know. Something I could never understand.

"Thank you for telling me, Roxas." I said gently.

"It… felt good to finally tell someone. It's kind of strange in a way too. I feel…different; lighter I suppose." His eyes held confusion and caution. He was definitely a careful one. If he didn't understand an emotion, it seems like he stayed weary of it until he did.

"Feel like a weight's been lifted off your chest?"

"Yeah."

"Good, that's supposed to happen." I smirked at him. He laughed quietly and smiled at me. I couldn't help my smirk turning into a full fledged smile.


End file.
